Sunday, December 8, 2013

Aloha to Christie Craig and THE COP WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS

What's not to love about this cover? I invited Christie Craig to join me for a cozy chat and holiday cheer ....

Kim: What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell from the Lone Star State?

Christie: I think my answers are going to showcase just how varied Texas can be. We have such diverse landscapes, from the Hill Country to the Gulf of Mexico. We have big cities to ranches. I do love Texas.

Sight: A pasture of bluebonnets. Almost every April, my hubby and I take a road trip to the country to take pictures of the bluebonnets. Nothing gets me more in the spring mood than a bluebonnet trip.

Sound: The sounds you hear standing on Galveston beach: The rush of the water as it rolls in and then out. The sea gulls calling overhead. The laughter of children dipping their toes in the water.

Smell: I’m gonna have to say the smell of Tex-Mex food. I’ve eaten Mexican food across the US, but there is just something a little different about Tex-Mex food. The smell of grilled onions in the plate of chicken fajitas. Or some good ol’ King Ranch Chicken. (I have the recipe on my website - link). Add that salt rimmed glass of frozen margarita, and well, I’m in heaven. Hmm…I think it’s lunch time, my stomach is grumbling and my taste buds are set for a margarita. Is it five o’clock somewhere?

Our cat Lucky is ready for the holidays ...

Kim: The cover of THE COP WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS is very cute - I love the cat! You've also had a dog on another cover. What is the challenge of incorporating pets into romance?

Christy: I think it might be a challenge to not incorporate a pet. You see, I think animals make us better humans. I use my furry little characters to show the true character of my hero and heroine. In The Cop Who Stole Christmas, when Mark takes in Savanna’s cat, Boots, and even brings the kitty litter box over, it shows us a lot about his nature. It shows he has a heart. Then there’s how Savanna cares for Boots and sees the cat as her companion that keeps her from being completely alone. Another example of this is in Texas Hold ‘Em, which comes out January 28th. My big bad, Texas hero is ailurophobic, which means he has a phobia of cats. And wouldn’t you know my heroine is a feline specialist vet and has three of those little furry darlings. Seeing Austin overcome his fear, and even learn to love a cat, is more than heartwarming.

I guess I’m just an animal lover. I have four cats and one dog. And they all own a piece of my heart.

Kim: What is your favorite holiday song other than Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer?

Christie: Hmm, this is a hard one. If I can’t choose ‘Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer,’ (and, yes, that is my favorite Christmas song) I guess I’d have to say ‘Santa Claus is Coming To Town.’ I love the catchy tune, but I have to admit it’s mostly the lyrics that grab me.

You better watch out, You better not cry,Better not pout,I’m telling you why . . .

You see, I’m an anti-pouter. And while I’ve been known to shed a tear, and even to bring one to my reader’s eyes, I’d much rather laugh and give my readers something to smile about. We need more laughter in our lives. Laughter is how I cope with stress.

That said, I will admit that the line in the song about Santa watching you while you’re sleeping is a bit creepy. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. I was singing the song to my three year old granddaughter and she stopped me and asked, “How does Santa get into my house to watch me?”

What can I say? Out of the mouths of babes.

Merry Christmas and thanks so much for the interview.

Mahalo, Christie, for joining me during this busy season. I am currently reading THE COP WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS and laughing my way through it!

It’ll take a tall, hot Texan and a little holiday spirit to mend a broken heart and catch a Christmas killer . . .

Savanna Edwards is feeling downright Scrooge-like. Who can blame her? A truly unjolly Santa—suit, beard and all—just repossessed her car because of her ex’s shady business dealings. She’d like to murder the no-good lying cheat, but somebody already did that for her—and left him right in the middle of her kitchen, wrapped up with a bow.

Detective Mark Donaldson has a rule against getting involved with his neighbors. He can look—and he’s studied every sweet curve of Savanna from across the street—but he can’t touch. So when she lands on his doorstep in need of help, he finds himself torn between being naughty or nice, and fights every urge to unwrap her like a shiny new Christmas present.

Trouble is, even Mark can’t resist a little holiday magic . . . and there’s definitely something magical happening between him and the girl next door.

I am giving away an ecopy of THE COP WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your favorite holiday song. I'm partial to the Twelve Days of Christmas ... and the altered version from Hawaii.

2. This giveaway is open to all readers.

3. Comments are open through Saturday, December 14, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, December 15.

20 comments:

I have a few favorite Christmas songs. " Silent Night", "Once in Royal David's City", "Away in a Manger", and then to get me up to speed, "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree", and lastly, one to ground me, John Lennon "So this is Christmas".

I have a few fave songs mostly because I love the holidays. One of them is O Holy Night done by a group called Plus One. I also love The Twelve Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser and most recently, The Little Drummer Boy has gotten a new rendition from a group called Pentatonix. It's awesome and made me love the song again!

I love an old Lynn Anderson country song called Dingaling the Christmas Bell. I remember it from when I was a kid. The song is like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, but about a bell that helped Santa find the little town in a blizzard.